Sichuan classics WEEKEND | 18 SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 VOLUME 26, NO. 33 www.MountainViewOnline.com 650.964.6300 MOVIES | 20 Enthusiasm for homes near Google suddenly stops DEVELOPERS SAY CITY FEES TOO HIGH By Mark Noack even a new school for residents. But for the companies poised ay Area housing advocates to build those homes, those costs were thrilled last year when are becoming a deal breaker, said BMountain View leaders Tim Steele, vice president with pledged to go hard on residential the Sobrato Organization. In growth, transforming the corpo- June, Sobrato pulled plans first rate office park of North Bayshore submitted in 2015 to build 635 into a dense urban neighborhood apartments and a six-story office with 9,850 homes. building on Pear Avenue. That But despite that grand vision, project is reportedly being modi- almost nothing has changed for fied and will be discussed by city North Bayshore. After one year, officials next week. not a single new apartment proj- Steele explained that his com- ect has been pitched to the city for pany needed to amend the plan NATALIA NAZAROVA review, let alone constructed. In because the city’s park fees had Tiffany Maciel spent years seeking mental health help for her son, exposing serious gaps in Santa Clara fact, city planners say at least one dramatically increased, from County’s services for children and youth. housing proposal already in the $32,000 to $60,000 per apart- pipeline is now being pulled back ment. Basically, the project no by its applicants. longer penciled out, he said. Why has the city’s hottest new “Never in our mind did we Nowhere to turn for kids in crisis neighborhood suddenly gone ice anticipate the fees would double cold? City officials say the culprit over that time,” he said. “Even SERVICES IN COUNTY CAN’T KEEP UP WITH DEMAND FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE is that housing is too expensive — with the financial influence of By Kevin Forestieri She left her job and turned took four years and a stroke of even for developers to build. offices, these projects can’t over- into a full-time advocate for luck to find the right kind of A line of developers at the come this burden.” or four years, Tiffany her son, trying to find the psy- care. Four years of intensify- Tuesday, Sept. 4, Mountain View The elephant in the room dur- Maciel knew her son chiatric help and therapy he ing problems and deteriora- City Council meeting took aim ing the discussion was Google, Fneeded help. needed to cope with a problem tion that came to a head in at the city’s fees and require- the largest landowner in North Red flags signaling an anxi- that got worse with each pass- third grade, when her son ments, which reportedly would Bayshore, which has enthusias- ety disorder began cropping ing year. climbed onto a roof and said add about $120,000 in costs per tically supported the housing up at the end of preschool, Despite having the will- he wanted to die. apartment unit. These costs were plans. No one from the company made more challenging by a power, the insurance and the intended to help make North Bay- spoke at the meeting or submitted subsequent autism diagnosis. resources to help her child, it See KIDS IN CRISIS, page 10 shore into a vibrant neighborhood with parks, transportation and See NORTH BAYSHORE, page 6 these be addressed before the City Council backs mandatory seismic retrofit program next major earthquake, if at all possible,” said Councilman COSTS A CONCERN, BUT SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS OF SOFT-STORY BUILDINGS IS A TOP PRIORITY Chris Clark. “I think it’s best to By Kevin Forestieri buildings into compliance with seismic upgrades to residential program would likely be ineffec- approach this with a mandatory modern building codes. But buildings that have a “soft-story” tive, according to city staff. Other program.” majority of Mountain council members approached the ground floor deemed structur- Bay Area cities like San Francisco The biggest concern among View City Council mem- idea with a heavy dose of skepti- ally weak and vulnerable to and Berkeley — which have man- council members was wheth- Abers agreed Tuesday night cism over whether landlords collapse in a strong earthquake. datory programs — originally er the retrofit program would that the city should adopt a man- would be able to recoup the cost A recent survey commissioned took a voluntary approach and amount to an unfair burden on datory seismic retrofit program of safety upgrades under the con- by the city found that Mountain found very few landlords willing- property owners who can’t eas- to prevent older, structurally straints of the city’s rent control View is home to an estimated 488 ly pursued the seismic upgrades. ily pass on the costs to tenants weak apartment buildings from law, and concerns that it could soft-story buildings, representing The soft-story survey report under the city’s 2016 rent control collapsing in a major earthquake. lead to more rent-controlled about 16 percent of the city’s total made clear that “substantial city- law. Landlords would need to go The preliminary decision, apartments being torn down. housing stock. wide risk reduction” can only be through a petition process and made in a Sept. 4 study session, Under a mandatory citywide Taking a softer approach to achieved through a mandatory convince a hearing officer that was regarded as the only effec- retrofit program, property own- the problem through a vol- program. tive path to bring aged residential ers would be required to make untary incentive-based retrofit “I think it’s really important See SEISMIC RETROFITS, page 16 INSIDE VIEWPOINT 17 | GOINGS ON 21 | MARKETPLACE 22 | REAL ESTATE 24 THE ADDRESS IS THE PENINSU THE EXPERIENCE IS AIN PINEL LOS ALTOS $2,295,000 SUNNYVALE $2,250,000 MOUNTAIN VIEW $2,200,000 1280 Eva Avenue | 4bd/2.5ba 781 Peeksill Avenue | 4bd/2.5ba 910 San Marcos Circle | 4bd/2ba Kathy Bridgman | 650.209.1589 Sharon Walz | 650.279.4652 Jerylann Mateo | 650.743.7895 License # 01189798 License # 00876468 License # 01362250 SAN JOSE $1,688,000 SUNNYVALE $1,675,999 MOUNTAIN VIEW $1,620,000 3243 Jade Avenue | 4bd/2.5ba 422 Joshua Way | 3bd/2ba 812 Wake Forest Drive | 3bd/1ba Barbara Conkin-Orrock | 650.996.4106 Shirley Bailey | 650.209.1580 Jerylann Mateo | 650.743.7895 License # 00943512 License # 00426479 License # 01362250 SAN JOSE $1,299,000 SAN JOSE $998,000 SAN JOSE $699,000 1573 Jacob Avenue | 4bd/3ba 533 Yurok Circle | 3bd/2ba 144 S 3rd Street #333 | 1bd/1ba Susan & Bryan Sweeley | 650.793.0828 Laura McCarthy | 650.269.1609 Cheryl Okuno | 650.209.1577 License # 01255460 | 01877044 License # 01895605 License # 01051270 APR.COM Over 30 Real Estate Offices Serving The Bay Area Including Los Altos 650.941.1111 Square footage, acreage, and other information herein, has been received from one or more of a variety of different sources. Such information has not been verified by Alain Pinel Realtors®. If important to buyers, buyers should conduct their own investigation. 2 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q September 7, 2018 QA+E BRIEF Healthy Teeth and Gums That Last a Lifetime! • Experienced and Gentle Dentist, and Friendly Staff • New Patients Welcome! • Free Consultations and Second Opinions • Saturday Appointments COURTESY OF MICHAEL KRUSE CRAIG/PEAR THEATRE Available Leslie Ivy stars as Catherine in “Northanger Abbey” at The Pear Theatre. PEAR KICKS OFF Voted Best NEW SEASON WITH Theater Review ‘NORTHANGER ABBEY’ gentleman is first known to have Dentist There were some carping crit- dreamt of her.” THE ics in the lobby at The Pear The- How very Jane Austen, and THE Best of atre following the nearly three- certainly the thoughts of young VOICE MOUNTAIN Best of VIEW VOICE hour performance of “Northang- Catherine, who is smitten with Don’t Wait! 2014 2016 MOUNTAIN er Abbey” on Saturday. Despite Henry. VIEW Call 650.969.6077 THE While the romance of Cath- Best of its length, “Northanger Abbey” VOICE for your appointment today! MOUNTAIN 2018 is really very enjoyable, and car- erine and Henry continues in fits VIEW ries the audience happily along and starts, Isabella Thorpe — sis- 2017 ter of the creepy John — invites with the language of Jane Aus- Conveniently located ten, as adapted by Pear founder Catherine to stay at her family’s 650.969.6077 Diane Tasca. estate, Northanger Abbey. Cath- in Downtown Mountain View dentalfabulous.com Leslie Ivy was beautiful, lively erine leaps at the chance, hoping 756 California Street, Suite B and fun as Catherine, the young for the spooky corridors, hidden Mountain View 94041 daughter of a reverend. She loves rooms and ghosts of the horrid cross street: Castro, next to Bierhaus “horrid” novels that require novels she reads. heroes. Her family, the Morlands, But the horrid behavior is have moved to Bath, which she really that of John Thorpe, who finds lovely for long walks and several times creates significant for visits to the Pump Room, problems for Catherine by pro- where all the “propertied swells” mulgating lies about her. meet to dance and gossip. The cast doesn’t much bother There she is befriended by with trying to speak with British Eleanor Tilney, played by the accents, which works well for the always lovely Damaris Divito, most part. Instead we get to hear and is caught by the charms of their more-or-less normal voices Eleanor’s brother, Henry Tilney, as they concentrate on their played with confidence by Peter characterizations.